"That is true for individuals as well as countries; a situation that is not only unfair, it is also dangerous if the rich countries that are responsible for creating climate change are the ones least triggered to dramatically change their lifestyles and economies."
There’s so much at play in this well crafted article. So many thoughts and insights that require contemplation. You’ve produced another excellent writing of which you should be proud.
Juxtaposing the rigors you experienced on Camino against the comfort of modern cities that give relief is perfectly exampled. Things you experienced in those weeks of walking The Way gave you deep insights to reflect upon. And, anyone reading this should reflect as well.
So many great passages in this piece but this stood apart for me about the Barbapapa: The "knowingly" part fascinates them, and even more so when they realize we had the knowledge and means to prevent this from happening. Why did humans let this happen? Where was the desperation? The anger among the population? Or, more likely, they will ask how these humans believed they were so intelligent while sitting on the wrong side of the branch they were sawing off.” I can only imagine.
Thank you for this outstanding article and the awareness you wave like an ancient crusader’s flag.
Your pictures from Porto remind me of souvenirs . You look very well in the new shirt from el Corte Ingles in Madrid. You also look happy to be back in the Netherlands after the Camino.. and your text and the comments say it all . Thank you.
May your quest help to right the rightable wrongs, as the days to come will continue to be a challenge, renewed however, by the clarity of more tangible achievements and certainties. We will remain faithful attached to your steps.
There is so much to be done. Living small and humbly was for myself a goal. The next is to convince the president to cut the chord. I'm exhausted thinking about it.
I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping you will continue to share a slice of your morning with us ☕
Now I’m so exhausted I’m silly! 😂 Just wondering about the “chord” vs: the other “cord.”??? Don’t worry about it. I’m seriously losing the remnants of my mind after the Trump indictment went down and EVERYTHING blew up. 💣
Weird - if I go on the three dots I have "edit" or "delete". Oh, I see. Are you guys on your phones on the app? There I don't have the "edit" function either. On my laptop I do. Sorry, I'll get out of here.
On my own comments, options are to “share link to comment”, “hide”’ or “delete.” No edit? On my iPadPro which is likely more analogous to a cell phone than a PC, laptop, whatever. Glad this issue came up since I have never tried “linking to comment”. And when I get notified of a response in email, many times I cannot find in the threads to answer question or respond. This platform isn’t that difficult; I just got a late start and what may be obvious to others is not so to me. Hmm. By the way, Hi Evelyne! Should have said that first. Good to see you! Still looking for you in “X” but it’s getting rocky to navigate and wants my $8 which I will not do on principle of reinstating the nightmare Trump. He has not posted but my version has nothing but posts about him, you and Alexander. And for some strange reason an enormous number of victorious trophy hunters whom I detest! Have a good day in lovely Switzerland 🇨🇭; will you see Alexander when he visits? Should think it would be fun. See you in NYC in the park with David soon!
"I pulled into Nazareth was feeling 'bout half past dead. I just need someplace where I can lay my head. Hey mister can you tell me where a man might find a bed. He just grinned and shook my hand no was all he said." Robbie Robertson guitarist, songwriter and frontman for The Band. RIP
They say to write about what you know. Heat is exhausting and relentless. Having lived through 31 days of over 110 temps with no relief in sight, the weight of this climate crisis is heartbreaking. And as you point out, the disenfranchised always pay. From rationing funds to pay for AC, food or rent; going further to the unhoused burning to death on the streets; Phoenix morgue bringing in extra coolers.
The mental weight is almost scarier. Your body cannot cool down at night with overnight temps just now going under 90-95. Heat is a barbell pushing against your chest; I wake to sounds of fans throughout the house like an airfield. Shades stay drawn; the faint sunlight a reminder it is daylight. Birds fall out of the sky; snakes visit your water hose.
The planet is burning and calls for change fall on deaf ears. And the crystal desert remains silent with our majestic sentinels, the iconic Saguaros melting and collapsing. Gratitude for your article, Alex. You have not just predicted this will happen but have given us climbing poles to start the climb out step by step. "Show down at big sky, darkness at high noon. Kiss tomorrow goodbye that day could be soon." Robbie Robertson
What a beautiful comment and what a depressing situation. I can only hope it will get better, but realistically I know it won't until we change our policies. I think the valley will become unlivable, first for the poor, then for all. I so much hope I'm wrong. Wishing you strength this summer!
Your comments about the Barbapapa are parallel with my thoughts. The UFO info being released by the US military makes me think that the UF's are piloted by time travelers from Earth's future trying to find out where we went wrong. It seems so unbelievable that the same species that can place a camera on a far off asteroid or comet and see those images, can also be so inept as to wage war on each other and on the environment that supports our life just to generate "profit".
They may decide that our opposable thumbs led to an unhealthy focus on manipulating objects, rather than blending in with the evolved environments around us.
Aug 10, 2023·edited Aug 10, 2023Liked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍
That's one happy pilgrim returning home. What a smile!
1906 made me think of how much has changed since then. How people who lived back then would navigate our world today. One set of my grandparents were born in 1913/14 - they grew up eating meat and dessert once a week if they could afford it. They lived off the land. They only bought what was really needed. A lot of things were fixed or mended. It was a sustainable lifestyle.
Fast forward to today and looking around me. There are many things I could live without and still live comfortably. No airconditioning in most houses in Switzerland. It was 80°F in my apartment for most of July. This is not a complaint. As you say rich countries are to blame for global warming and we're least affected because we can afford anything that takes our mind off what's going on.
Change is uncomfortable. We can all look at our private lives and see how well we're doing with changing our habits - our brains don't like it (there's science behind that too). Sometimes terrible events help us change. Health scares make us take better care of ourselves. This right now is a massive health scare for planet Earth. Only problem is - she can't heal herself. She can let us know she's hurting, but we have to stop the destruction.
The Camino community sounds like a great way of connecting with people from around the world. And you do that so well - also in your storytelling. Thank you for that.
Couple more things: Barbapapa is not going to find solutions, we should go with Barbamama. When in Switzerland try local wine. We grow wine in all 26 of our cantons. I walked along miles and miles of vineyards yesterday.
Have reconsidered my reply and must delete for personal reasons. Your newsletter was as always exceptional and I enjoyed the travelogue immensely & the photos. Will likely reply again since I’ve had my dinner and blood pressure returning to normal😂. Not your fault! Multitasking on a variety of topics can become confrontational (not with you ever) so will review again and likely send another “low key.” Perhaps tomorrow. Recovering from my own climate event, storm with 60,000 homes without power or WiFi for 48 hours. In heat 90 degrees F. Writing is my own personal therapy and was without for too long! Hi, Rena! 😘
There’s so much at play in this well crafted article. So many thoughts and insights that require contemplation. You’ve produced another excellent writing of which you should be proud.
Juxtaposing the rigors you experienced on Camino against the comfort of modern cities that give relief is perfectly exampled. Things you experienced in those weeks of walking The Way gave you deep insights to reflect upon. And, anyone reading this should reflect as well.
So many great passages in this piece but this stood apart for me about the Barbapapa: The "knowingly" part fascinates them, and even more so when they realize we had the knowledge and means to prevent this from happening. Why did humans let this happen? Where was the desperation? The anger among the population? Or, more likely, they will ask how these humans believed they were so intelligent while sitting on the wrong side of the branch they were sawing off.” I can only imagine.
Thank you for this outstanding article and the awareness you wave like an ancient crusader’s flag.
The photos are great and you look great too.
Thank you, Lizzie
Your pictures from Porto remind me of souvenirs . You look very well in the new shirt from el Corte Ingles in Madrid. You also look happy to be back in the Netherlands after the Camino.. and your text and the comments say it all . Thank you.
Thank you for every page in your wandering Book.
May your quest help to right the rightable wrongs, as the days to come will continue to be a challenge, renewed however, by the clarity of more tangible achievements and certainties. We will remain faithful attached to your steps.
No man ever steps into the same river twice,
because it is not the same river,
and he is not the same man.
-Heraclitus
Dear Scribe,
Exactitude. As per "normal" for you.
There is so much to be done. Living small and humbly was for myself a goal. The next is to convince the president to cut the chord. I'm exhausted thinking about it.
I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping you will continue to share a slice of your morning with us ☕
Welcome home and thank you 🌻
And the other cord as well
Now I’m so exhausted I’m silly! 😂 Just wondering about the “chord” vs: the other “cord.”??? Don’t worry about it. I’m seriously losing the remnants of my mind after the Trump indictment went down and EVERYTHING blew up. 💣
Made a spelling mistake and this was my only way to fix it as I was unable to find an edit option 🙂
The three tiny dots to right will allow delete but then you have to start over, best I can tell!
Weird - if I go on the three dots I have "edit" or "delete". Oh, I see. Are you guys on your phones on the app? There I don't have the "edit" function either. On my laptop I do. Sorry, I'll get out of here.
On my own comments, options are to “share link to comment”, “hide”’ or “delete.” No edit? On my iPadPro which is likely more analogous to a cell phone than a PC, laptop, whatever. Glad this issue came up since I have never tried “linking to comment”. And when I get notified of a response in email, many times I cannot find in the threads to answer question or respond. This platform isn’t that difficult; I just got a late start and what may be obvious to others is not so to me. Hmm. By the way, Hi Evelyne! Should have said that first. Good to see you! Still looking for you in “X” but it’s getting rocky to navigate and wants my $8 which I will not do on principle of reinstating the nightmare Trump. He has not posted but my version has nothing but posts about him, you and Alexander. And for some strange reason an enormous number of victorious trophy hunters whom I detest! Have a good day in lovely Switzerland 🇨🇭; will you see Alexander when he visits? Should think it would be fun. See you in NYC in the park with David soon!
Yes
"I pulled into Nazareth was feeling 'bout half past dead. I just need someplace where I can lay my head. Hey mister can you tell me where a man might find a bed. He just grinned and shook my hand no was all he said." Robbie Robertson guitarist, songwriter and frontman for The Band. RIP
They say to write about what you know. Heat is exhausting and relentless. Having lived through 31 days of over 110 temps with no relief in sight, the weight of this climate crisis is heartbreaking. And as you point out, the disenfranchised always pay. From rationing funds to pay for AC, food or rent; going further to the unhoused burning to death on the streets; Phoenix morgue bringing in extra coolers.
The mental weight is almost scarier. Your body cannot cool down at night with overnight temps just now going under 90-95. Heat is a barbell pushing against your chest; I wake to sounds of fans throughout the house like an airfield. Shades stay drawn; the faint sunlight a reminder it is daylight. Birds fall out of the sky; snakes visit your water hose.
The planet is burning and calls for change fall on deaf ears. And the crystal desert remains silent with our majestic sentinels, the iconic Saguaros melting and collapsing. Gratitude for your article, Alex. You have not just predicted this will happen but have given us climbing poles to start the climb out step by step. "Show down at big sky, darkness at high noon. Kiss tomorrow goodbye that day could be soon." Robbie Robertson
What a beautiful comment and what a depressing situation. I can only hope it will get better, but realistically I know it won't until we change our policies. I think the valley will become unlivable, first for the poor, then for all. I so much hope I'm wrong. Wishing you strength this summer!
Muchisimas gracias, Alex.
Your comments about the Barbapapa are parallel with my thoughts. The UFO info being released by the US military makes me think that the UF's are piloted by time travelers from Earth's future trying to find out where we went wrong. It seems so unbelievable that the same species that can place a camera on a far off asteroid or comet and see those images, can also be so inept as to wage war on each other and on the environment that supports our life just to generate "profit".
They may decide that our opposable thumbs led to an unhealthy focus on manipulating objects, rather than blending in with the evolved environments around us.
yes, you're so right, and it's painful to witness.
That's one happy pilgrim returning home. What a smile!
1906 made me think of how much has changed since then. How people who lived back then would navigate our world today. One set of my grandparents were born in 1913/14 - they grew up eating meat and dessert once a week if they could afford it. They lived off the land. They only bought what was really needed. A lot of things were fixed or mended. It was a sustainable lifestyle.
Fast forward to today and looking around me. There are many things I could live without and still live comfortably. No airconditioning in most houses in Switzerland. It was 80°F in my apartment for most of July. This is not a complaint. As you say rich countries are to blame for global warming and we're least affected because we can afford anything that takes our mind off what's going on.
Change is uncomfortable. We can all look at our private lives and see how well we're doing with changing our habits - our brains don't like it (there's science behind that too). Sometimes terrible events help us change. Health scares make us take better care of ourselves. This right now is a massive health scare for planet Earth. Only problem is - she can't heal herself. She can let us know she's hurting, but we have to stop the destruction.
The Camino community sounds like a great way of connecting with people from around the world. And you do that so well - also in your storytelling. Thank you for that.
Couple more things: Barbapapa is not going to find solutions, we should go with Barbamama. When in Switzerland try local wine. We grow wine in all 26 of our cantons. I walked along miles and miles of vineyards yesterday.
Thank you! Needed those! Same to you! We have HOPE if not optimism, stealing that from another. 🌻
Have reconsidered my reply and must delete for personal reasons. Your newsletter was as always exceptional and I enjoyed the travelogue immensely & the photos. Will likely reply again since I’ve had my dinner and blood pressure returning to normal😂. Not your fault! Multitasking on a variety of topics can become confrontational (not with you ever) so will review again and likely send another “low key.” Perhaps tomorrow. Recovering from my own climate event, storm with 60,000 homes without power or WiFi for 48 hours. In heat 90 degrees F. Writing is my own personal therapy and was without for too long! Hi, Rena! 😘
Hugs 😘
Barbamama ::nodding::